This year we are inviting the public to our vendor area , even if you do not plan on attending the seminar you are welcome to come in and meet our vendors.

Speaker Bio's

Short Bio: Marjorie Harris 

 

 Charlotte County garden clubs are thrilled to have Marjorie Harris join us again at the podium at Charlotte County Blooms 2012.  She was so well received here in 2006 that we couldn’t resist asking her back.   Marjorie is one of Canada’s leading garden writers.  She has been the gardening columnist for Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail since 1990; makes speeches across the country; was the Editor-at-Large of Gardening Life magazine until it folded in November 2008.  She has been an editor of Chatelaine and Maclean’s; written 15 gardening books, lives in Toronto and runs Marjorie Harris Gardens, a plant consulting business. Marjorie’s presentations are always very informative, her slides are to die for and her sense of humour combine to keep the newest green thumb to the experienced gardener on the edge of their seats.  She thoroughly enjoys engaging her audience and answering even the most perplexing gardening questions.  Her most recent book “How to Make a Garden:  The 7 Essential Steps for the Canadian Gardener” is on sale at Charlotte County Blooms and will be autographed just for you!!!  Her topic for the day of April 28th is “Let’s Stop Making Ugly Gardens”. For more information on Marjorie visit MarjorieHarris.com!

 

 

 

Short Bio: Dr. Charles Hope

 

Born and educated in Edinburgh,Scotland. My interest in growing succulents and cacti began when my grandmother gave me a number of cuttings and transplants from her collection of succulents.  I was immediately attracted to those plants-they were different- they did not wither if they were not regularly watered- they flowered and they could be propagated in many different ways. I shared my interest with my neighbour and soon there were two of us seeking and collecting whatever and wherever possible. This led to us becoming members of the Edinburgh of the British Cactus and Succulent Society.

 

Following graduation in Medicine from the University of Edinburgh and entering Post-Graduate Training in Anaesthesia. I left Edinburgh to begin a Research Fellowship in London,England. As it was not possible to take the succulent collection with me it was distributed amongst friends who had an interest in these plants. Five years later I emigrated to Canada to take a position with the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. While in Saskatchewan I began to collect once more in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. While in Saskatchewan I became a member of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA).

 

After four and a half years I moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to take a position at Dalhousie University. While in Nova Scotia I met several enthusiastic collectors of succulents and once again the collection grew. the plants acquired while in Saskatchewan came with me to Halifax.

 

in 1999 I retired to Wolfville in the Annapolis Valley, NS. The collection has grown, but my main interest at present is to explore the opportunity of growing cacti and succulents which are capable of surviving in a rock garden environment year round. others in my collection are grown, as potted specimens, outdoors but only during the frost free months.

 

Since settling in Nova Scotia, I have had the opportunity of meeting and visiting other collectors with similar interests. I have been a member of Valley gardeners and served on the Executive Committee of Valley Gardeners from 2001- 2009 and as President from 2005- 2006. I was a member of the Nova Scotia Rock garden Club for a number of years but other pressure of other activities has prevented me from maintaining membership.

 

I have presented talks on succulents and cacti on two occasions and on " Growing the Perfect Pot Plant" on one occasion to Valley Gardeners.

 

I have presented talks to the Nova Scotia Rock garden Club on Winter Hardy and Native Cacti in Canada and following a field trip, on the wild and Alpine Flora of Alaska.

 

I was a contributing author, to" A 2002 Review of the Distribution of the Native Cacti of Canada", ed Ken Hancock, Sotaire Limited, 280 Albert Street,Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G8.

 

I have had an article published, entitled Growing Cacti Outdoors in Canada, Nova Scotia Rock garden Newsletter, (2006) Vol 2: Number 1, 1-4   

 

I am a member of the BCSS discussion group on winter-hardy cacti. 

We now have an email address for anyone who has questions about this event.    It is charlottecountyblooms@gmail.com.  Please pass this along to your gardening contacts.
Many thanks and we are hoping to see you at our big event!  Supporting each other in these gardening and educational events is so important.

Second Speaker

Hello fellow gardeners:  We are pleased to announce that Dr. Charles Hope of Nova Scotia will be our Maritime speaker on Succulents and Cacti at Charlotte County Blooms on April 28th.  He is a specialist in this area and will also talk about propagation of these up and coming container/garden plant.  His slides will temp you to start a collection!!!
Our agenda with Marjorie Harris and Dr. Charles Hope will make a full and amazing day to welcome spring in Charlotte County.
Hope to see you all there and please pass on this information to your hort buddies.
Sincerely,
Deborah Smith
506-569-3696

2012 Charlotte County Blooms Seninar

Hello fellow gardeners from around the province and elsewhere!!!

We are in the planning stages of our annual Charlotte County Blooms although it is soon to be the biannual Charlotte County Blooms. We would appreciate you passing on this attached document and information to your members and mentioning it at your meetings.  This event takes place on Saturday, April 28th.  With this early notice, we hope you will mark your calendars and make a date to visit beautiful Saint Andrews By the Sea on that warm spring weekend!!!

We were fortunate enough this year to get Marjorie Harris as our speaker.  She is Canada's best known gardener and most prolific garden writer.  See her website at www.marjorieharris.com.   Her topic will be "Let's Stop Making Ugly Gardens".  It should be fun with great slides and loaded with down to earth information for gardeners of all levels.

Our venue is the New Brunswick Community College.  Registration starts between 9 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.  The event should be finished by 3:00 p.m.  There will be a light breakfast offered as well as a snack and lunch.  A 'local/maritime' speaker will soon be announced.  Gardeners can enjoy our tradeshow vendors and oodles of door prizes and all this for the low ticket price of $20.

For those of you who need accommodations for the night, please feel free to call or email me as we have several garden club members who own delightful and reasonably priced B&Bs.

We are hoping to see lots of familiar faces in the audience.  If I can be of any further help, please don't hesitate to ask.  Looking forward to hearing from you.  Watch for our poster which will be out soon.

Deborah Smith
By The Sea Garden Club
Past President
506-529-3696